Denny Hamlin reacts to Shane van Gisbergen outrunning Trackhouse teammates on ovals

Shane van Gisbergen’s impressive transition to full-time NASCAR competition continues to turn heads. After Martinsville, it’s catching the attention of one of the sport’s veterans.

On the latest episode of Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin didn’t hold back when evaluating van Gisbergen’s recent oval performances. In fact, Hamlin pointed to a surprising development, that SVG isn’t just holding his own, he’s leading the way at Trackhouse Racing.

“He’s out running his teammates,” Hamlin stated. “When I came out, when I passed him, I thought that they just hadn’t pitted yet. They pitted early. Either way, he’s finishing much better on the ovals. Running really well.

“The story is more that he’s outrunning Ross, and he’s been one of the lead Trackhouse cars. Now, Trackhouse is not on fire right now. Not great, but he’s making the most of it. Obviously he’s doing a great job continuing to develop, and he appears to be getting the most out of those race cars.”

Alas, that last point is key. Trackhouse has struggled to find consistent speed early in the 2026 season, with Ross Chastain and the rest of the organization searching for answers week to week.

Amid those issues, van Gisbergen has quietly emerged as a bright spot. That is especially the case on ovals, where expectations were initially lower for the former Supercars champion. The results back it up.

In recent weeks, SVG has consistently hovered around the Top 10 to Top 15, collecting stage points and staying relevant throughout races. As Jeff Gluck noted on The Teardown, van Gisbergen has been “up there all day” in multiple events, often outperforming cars outside the sport’s elite tier.

Even when the finishing result doesn’t fully reflect it, like an 11th-place run after running near the front, the underlying performance tells a different story. SVG is executing, staying clean, and maximizing every opportunity.

Moreover, Jordan Bianchi framed it simply. These are exactly the types of runs van Gisbergen needs.

“14th in points. … These are the days he needs,” Bianchi said. “Top 15s, top 20s. Get a few stage points.”

That approach is especially important given van Gisbergen’s profile. While he continues to develop on ovals, his road course dominance remains his biggest weapon, meaning consistency now sets the stage for potential wins later.

Meanwhile, for Trackhouse, the contrast is hard to ignore. As the organization works through broader performance issues, van Gisbergen’s ability to extract speed and deliver results stands out even more. 

He may still be learning, but as Hamlin pointed out, he’s already doing something significant in getting more out of the car than those around him. And in a season where Trackhouse is still searching for direction, that might be the most important development of all.